


A Wonderful Life

by thepretender501



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Christmas, M/M, Sex Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 09:44:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/608446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepretender501/pseuds/thepretender501
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Never in my life did I think I’d see the day when you would buy me a dirty toy. Somewhere out there Santa is crying because he has to put a handful of coal in Captain America’s stocking, but I have to say I love my life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Wonderful Life

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to elainemalfoy for beta reading this! Any and all mistakes are my own.

It was Christmas Eve at Stark Tower and the team, Betty and Jane were gathered around the television watching _It’s a Wonderful Life._ The room was toasty warm with a fire burning at the hearth and Steve had a mug of hot cocoa and Tony settled at his side, even if Tony was distracted by his tablet Steve would take it. The evening couldn’t be any more perfect. And yes, maybe it was a little contrived. When Steve was young—well, years ago—he spent Christmas with his mother, just like this. Actually, a little more humbly and with a far fewer superheroes but Steve wouldn’t complain. He was starting to doze off when Natasha spoke. “In the interest of Christmas traditions, I’d like to submit one.” She coaxed Clint’s head from her shoulder and stood up. 

Clint sniffled and pulled the covers over him. “t’s that, Tasha?”

“Bruce can you pause the movie?” Natasha said.

“Aww man, it’s just getting to the good part,” Tony said without looking up from his tablet.   
Natasha and Bruce ignored him and Tony started mumbling about how it was his house and nobody listened to him. Steve smiled to himself.

“It’s midnight so we can all pick one present to open.” She crouched in front of the oversized Christmas tree near the windows and came up with a lumpy misshapen gift. “And I choose this one.”

“I like this idea,” Jane said and she hopped up from her seat. Steve frowned as the rest of the team got up eagerly to pick one present from the tree. Steve had always saved every gift for Christmas morning, he’d never understood the appeal of opening gifts beforehand. 

Tony rested a hand on his knee. “Okay?”

“Yeah, just—this is a new tradition.”

“But you didn’t say it was a bad one, right? Here, I’ll grab you a gift.” Tony got up, stretched and yawned. Steve resisted the urge to poke at the slight expanse of skin that appeared when Tony’s shirt lifted.

“You should get some rest soon,” Steve said instead.

“Oh? I’m always ready for bed when you are,” Tony said, his tone more teasing than seductive. Steve felt his ears get hot. Tony smirked and disappeared behind the large Christmas tree.

“I don’t see why we can’t open two or three. I mean technically it _is_ Christmas,” Clint was shaking his hand out and giving Natasha a wounded expression. 

“It appears the Christmas Ceremony does not allow for multiple presents at this hour,” Thor said, glumly.

“N-O.” Natasha spelled. She was frowning at a large thing made of wool that Steve assumed was supposed to be a sweater. Thor had recently taken up knitting. Thor unwrapped a pair of nun chucks. He beamed and waved them around dangerously with excitement. He’d recently taken a liking to martial arts films as well. “Thank you, Man of Arrows. This is exactly what I desired.”

“Hey, no problem buddy,” Clint said, “Just uh, be careful.” Clint looked like he was trying to decide between several gifts. He shook each one carefully, going back and forth between a few. Natasha looked longingly at the rest of the gifts as her fingers curled into the woolen sweater.

Betty was hunting for a suitable gift and Bruce tore the paper off a large package and managed to look relatively calm about it. Steve decided he might as well join in the Christmas eve festivities. As soon as he got to his feet Tony bounded up to him and thrust a gift against his chest.

“If I have to have a cheesy Christmas ritual like the rest of you crazy people mine would be that we each open one gift from each other,” Tony said and Steve loved him. He took the gift and grinned but his smile quickly faded when Tony pulled a plainly decorated box from behind his back. Steve froze in horror. The contents of that package weren’t exactly savory. It was supposed to be a private gift. A very, very private gift that Steve still had the receipt for because he wasn’t exactly sure he could handle the embarrassment of giving it to Tony. How had it ended up under the tree?

“Uh, where did you get that from?” he asked slowly. He remembered wrapping it. He remembered cutting the paper and neatly folding it and then he’d run out of tape and he’d ended up in Tony’s workshop where he finished the job. Then—then Doom went on a rampage at the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade and he’d forgotten all about it.

“Get what from?” Tony began un-wrapping the paper, completely oblivious to Steve’s sudden panic. “I hope you like what I got you. It’s a little, I don’t know. Jarvis helped me pick it out. Shit.” He glanced up at Steve. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t supposed to tell you that was I?”

Steve barely heard him he kept his eyes on the gift Tony was rapidly unwrapping. “Tony you can’t open tha—”

“I say we go two for two, what do you think, Stark?” Clint rested a hand on Tony’s shoulder. He was wearing what looked like a brand new pair of sunglasses.

“I say we open everything, but of course I’ve never been patient.” Tony replied. The paper was on the ground and Steve felt his pulse rate climbing. 

“No, Clint. For the thousandth time, you have to wait until morning.” Natasha appeared at Steve’s side and she still looked forlornly at her woolen sweater. Tony pulled the box open and Steve sat back down on the couch in hopes that he would sink into the cushions and disappear. 

“What’d you get, Tony?” Natasha asked.

“Um,” Tony lifted the gift from the box and Steve could almost see the gears in his brain turning.

“Are those anal beads?” Clint blurted.

“Clint get your mind out of the gutter, not everything is about sex. Right, Cap? So what is it?” 

Natasha was always on Steve’s side, except this time there was nothing he could say. Clint was right and it was odd how the room was suddenly silent. He could’ve sworn he heard Bruce, Betty and Thor talking just a minute ago. Natasha squinted at him and Steve dropped his head in his hands. He knew if his posture didn’t give him away, the red of his face would.

“Sorry, Tash. That’ll have to be your Valentine’s gift.” Steve heard Clint say. “Ow,” he added after a beat.

“I do not understand. What are anal beads? Is the meaning purely literal?” Thor said.

“Yes,” It sounded like both Bruce and Jane deadpanned though it didn’t really take a scientist to figure that out.

Steve wondered if he could turn invisible by keeping his eyes closed.

“I’m going to make more hot chocolate.”

“What a great idea,” Tony said. “Could you all go help Betty make hot chocolate?” 

“I can help myself go to bed. I need to get up early and open the rest of my gifts.” Clint muttered.

“Ah, a diversion.” Thor boomed “We shall all leave you alone to enjoy your new anal beads, Tony Stark.”

Steve heard snickering and someone patted him on the shoulder, probably Natasha or Jane.   
Steve couldn’t bring himself to look up. He was too humiliated. 

“We will enjoy them, thank you Thor.” Tony said shamelessly and Steve did look up then. Tony was grinning so wide and so genuine Steve wanted to hug him. Except, the circumstances of that grin. Steve dropped gaze to the floor.

“You scarlet woman!” Tony flopped on the couch next to him. “Never in my life did I think I’d see the day when you would buy me a dirty toy. Somewhere out there Santa is crying because he has to put a handful of coal in Captain America’s stocking. But I have to say I love my life.”

“That was supposed to be private.” Steve mumbled.

“I figured that. Your complexion sort of gave you away.” Tony brushed his fingers against Steve’s cheek. “You should’ve told Natasha they were pearls. She’d believe you, or at the very least she’d think I taught you that and give me the evil eye.” Tony lifted the clear glass balls. He ran his fingers over them gently and Steve shivered.

“I honestly forgot about it. I was going to take them back—”

“Wait you went to the store for these?” Tony sounded delighted. “What did the shopkeeper say?”

Steve closed his eyes and remembered that day. He’d spent it wandering midtown trying to get the memories of a recent villain out of his head when he stumbled upon the toy shop. He’d hesitated before going in but once he was in he couldn’t exactly run back out. 

“I just browsed a bit. I was hoping to find something you’d like. I know you’re—I know you wanted to explore and I do too but now that the team knows…” Steve looked down at his hands.

“Oh honey.” Tony linked their fingers. “The team isn’t exactly the epitome of virtue. I’m pretty sure Clint and Natasha have been arrested at least once for public indecency.” 

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

Tony laughed a little. “Yeah and I think Betty has developed a size kink because I hear Bruce Hulks out when he’s turned on and I assume _everything_ gets bigger.” He gestured vaguely and Steve felt his face heat up again.

“Tony, that’s—no, don’t tell me that.” 

Tony laughed outright. Even when it was at his expense Steve loved everything about that laugh, it wasn’t easy to pull genuine reactions from Tony, he was a well-oiled machine but every once in awhile-- when they were alone—things felt real.

“Open my gift. It’s a little more PG, but I think you’ll like it.” Tony said and he absently began stroking the beads again. Steve swallowed and reached for the gift box next to him. 

He tore the paper and felt warmth spread from his chest to all over. “Graphite pencils. I--thank you.” 

“I read somewhere that before you were Captain America you wanted to go to art school, but that’s not all, Cap. I mean, the rest of your gifts are tomorrow but there’s more now. Open the box, open it. Open it.” Tony chanted, he scooted closer and Steve always felt like Tony’s energy was contagious so he couldn’t help but feel excitement radiate through him. He ripped off the rest of the paper and lifted the lid on the small box. 

“So those are tickets to the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center tomorrow night.” Tony said before Steve could read them. “I gave those to the whole team but obviously you’re much more special. And--”

“What’s this?” Steve unfolded a sheet of paper that was covered in Tony’s handwriting and he secretly hoped it wasn’t a love letter. He didn’t know how Tony would react if Steve found himself suddenly choked up.

“So, that’s why you’re special. People are always asking me to do things and I do them sometimes and other times I just don’t pay attention or I get busy and I flake and Pepper hates it and you hate it and Rhodey especially hates it but I have to because--”

“There’s so much to be done and only Tony Stark to do it.” Steve teased as he squinted to read the page.

“Yep, you get me. So you can use those. They’re like coupons for my time. Anytime you use one I do whatever you want me to, whenever you want me to.”

Steve set the sheet of paper down on the coffee table and looked at Tony. “Seriously?”

“Yes, this part was Pepper’s idea, oddly enough. She thought you might like more of my time. So just show me the coupon and I’m yours. You can nag me to eat till your hearts content or make me vacuum your room or whatever it is you’d like to do with me, which, considering your gift...” Tony lifted the beads again and grinned. 

“Tony,” Steve leaned back on the couch and rubbed his eyes. 

“You hate it. It was too self centered, I knew I should’ve stuck with the pencils alone--

“Tony--”

“No, it was Pepper, wasn’t it?” he smacked a hand to his forehead. “I shouldn’t have brought up Pepper, she’s my ex. I shouldn’t be getting gift ideas from my ex, I know. And even if I do I shouldn’t be telling--”

“Shut up, Tony. Please,” Steve said and Tony gazed at him. “Thank you. I love it. Thank you but-- I don’t think I’ll need to use my coupons to get you to play with the gift I gave you so...”

Tony stared at him his mouth moved like he was swallowing something. “You’re right. I’d do this for free.” He lifted the beads and pressed the largest one to his lips. “No limit. Over and over again.” Steve wasn’t going to be able to handle watching Tony tease the toy much longer without _doing_ something about it. He tangled his fingers into Tony’s hair and with his other hand, he took the beads. They felt heavy and simultaneously cold and warm. He imagined how they’d feel going in, he imagined what they would look like. He met Tony’s gaze and realized Tony was most likely thinking the same thing.

“So it’s Christmas and um--I want some of your time.” Steve brushed his lips against Tony’s and felt his beard tickle slightly. 

“I’ve created a monster,” Tony whispered against his lips. “Santa, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

Steve grinned and got to his feet holding out a hand. “After tonight, I don’t think Santa will give you all the credit for this creation.”


End file.
